How to Know if it Really is Time to Quit Your Job

There’s a reason that Should I Stay or Should I Go from The Clash is such a popular song: it speaks to all of us about something.

We’ve all been trapped in those situations — whether professional or personal — in which we’re not quite sure what the best step is to take and whether or not we should sit tight or move on.

These positions are incredibly complicated because they lead us to second guess ourselves, with our true feelings becoming hidden beneath a deluge of rumination and worry. For many of us, this situation often snowballs out of control and leads to us burning out.

The cycle of questioning is exhausting:

Am I bored with my job? Is this a temporary feeling? Is it no longer the right fit for me? Will things change? Do I really want to quit my job?

But taking the time to sit down and slowly and honestly go through such doubts and queries is the best way to find your path forwards. Here are some of the questions you should be asking yourself to once and for all know whether it is actually time to quit your job.

Are you passionate about your work?

Some people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to the amount of fulfilment they will derive from their professional life. Every single day can’t be an incredible adventure, however, if you find that the opposite is true — that each day is dreary and the good ones are nowhere to be seen — then this is a good indication it’s probably time to quit your job.

When you ask yourself this question, really think back to the good days you can remember, and try to define what made those days particularly interesting. Write the points down and go back through the list to identify what has changed and why things are different now.

Can you resolve the issues? Has something changed? Have you changed?

Are you stressed and negative the majority of the time?

The changes in yourself can be slight and gradual, and as a result, only picked up by those around you. We’ve probably all seen somebody who has become stressed and fed up with their work and how truly miserable it can make them.

Take a good look at yourself from the outside, and you will better understand how you feel and what role your job has played in making you feel that way. If you discover that the source of your stress comes from your professional life, something needs to change. Your happiness, health, and fulfilment should be put above all else, so if they’re taking a hit, it may be time to quit your job.

Is your quality of work suffering?

It’s important to take a long and honest look at your own performance. We all want to do great work and offer our skills up to something larger than ourselves. But is your disenchantment with your work causing you to create poor results?

If you feel the results you’re achieving have been declining steadily, you should try to find the cause of it. Is it a lack of motivation? Has the work stopped challenging you? Has something changed within the company that has sapped your motivation to work well?

Making the right decision

This honest type of dialogue with yourself can really shed a light on how you’re feeling and what the next step should be for you. If by the end of this questioning your suspicions are confirmed and don’t see a way out, it’s time to make a move and quit your job. There’s always new opportunities out there just waiting for you to leave and take them.